Changing Jobs: Knowing When to Take the Plunge

Few decisions impact your life more than deciding when to change your job. For many individuals, the beginning of a new year serves as a catalyst for action. Regardless of what moves you to take action, this is simply one of those decisions where there is no margin for error.

Why?

When you are exploring if the grass truly is greener on the other side, make sure that you are confident that it will be nearly impossible to make your current situation greener. If you feel you have become stale in your existing role, do not look to leap just yet if you haven’t already explored with your manager how to freshen it. If you are unhappy with your overall compensation, speak up. Prepare a persuasive business case for what you are after and go after it. There are far too many reasons to jump ship to list here. And, outside of working for Attila the Hun, or living in a toxic organizational culture, you can potentially influence and maybe even fix a situation that pains you.

Many of my clients placed themselves in the job market without trying to remedy an issue that could’ve been fixed beforehand. The most gifted managers on the planet cannot read minds. Speak up first; leap second.

Have No Doubt About What Greener Pastures Look Like

Changing jobs is like archery; you can be highly skilled, and have world-class equipment, but without a clear bullseye, you will underperform.

Changing jobs is fraught with countless emotional landmines. Most individuals are so motivated to get out of where they are that they are vulnerable to making a rash decision that is not in their best interests. Before you send out your first resume, invest time in critical and deep thinking. List the “must haves” and “nice to haves” in a prospective new role. Answer the question, “What is non-negotiable?”

Check yourself around the urgency to say yes. Looking for a new gig is like a root canal without anesthesia. Ditching the pain without being completely convinced that it’s the right move will only put you back in the oral surgeon’s chair in a couple of months.

Interview Them as Critically as They Are Interviewing You

Like a first date, both the interviewee and the interviewer are on their best behavior. If the chemistry and the evaluation of your competence are positive, the process of wooing you will begin. Let’s face it-the only reason company X is courting you is because they have yet to meet their perfect match. The interview will unfold in your favor. The interviewer, through both verbal and non-verbal messages, will act as if the organization wouldn’t survive without you. You can almost envision that offer letter!

One of the nuances of persuasion is to sell the sizzle, not the steak.

Many people on the hiring side have their compensation linked to how expeditiously vacancies are filled. Most are gifted salespeople, so be aware and listen to their pitch with detachment.

Having interviewed many possible individuals where my decision would be, “I want hire you,” for a role, I always put a lot of credence into how they interviewed me about the company. After sitting in the hot seat, would their evaluation of our company suggest a great fit or drive me back to the resumes piled on my desk?

Supposedly, more people depart from their jobs in January than any other time of the year. Perhaps January should be known as National Quit Month. For all that envision a move in the new year, I hope my guidance helped.

Wishing you all a job that makes you leap out of bed in the morning.